Rats force closure of Bishop’s College

The discovery of what appeared to be rat droppings on the compound of the Bishop’s College Kingstown (BCK), forced a premature end to the school day last Friday, January 6.

The school remained closed yesterday, January 9, and a source said the educational institution, located at Paul’s Avenue, will remain partly closed this week, except for the days that have been set aside for parents’ day.

The body waste from rats can carry many diseases some of which can be potentially fatal. Among these are leptospirosis; Hantavirus; lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV); Tularemia; and Salmonella, while the rodents themselves can be very destructive.

When SEARCHLIGHT visited the school compound on Monday, officials attached to the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment were seen on the premises carrying out inspections.
However, principal, Insa Duncan when asked about the issue said “We’re good”, and opted not to comment further; but the same source said the droppings were discovered in an area used to facilitate the book loan scheme.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Myccle Burke, shedding some light on the issue on Monday, said they were informed that rat droppings had been observed on the school compound so they reached out to the Ministry of Health to look into the issue, and the vector control unit took over.

He said he was awaiting the details of the investigation as the officials who deal with such issues had been sent to the compound.

Burke also noted that the BCK is not run by the Ministry of Education but the school receives a subvention from the government, while the decisions at the school level are made by a Board of Directors.

Commenting, Minister of Education, Curtis King said if there is a rat problem at the BCK, an eradication exercise aimed at solving the problem would be carried out in an effort to provide a safe environment for the students.

This is not the first time that a school in the Kingstown area has been affected by rats. In January 2012, parents of students attached to the Kingstown Preparatory School (KPS), complained to the media that their children should have been sent home immediately after it was discovered that the school was infested with rats.